WTF
Location: Long Island NY
December 11, 2011 4:08 pm
Hey! So we found these creepy lil suckers in the basement of a Long Island home that has a back and frontyard. To me, it looks like the offspring of a spider, cricket and a bee. Any thoughts?
Signature: Sleeping with a Flashlight
Dear Sleeping with a Flashlight,
We didn’t have any new letters to post today, so we turned to our backlog of unanswered questions. Your letter arrived just prior to the end of the semester and holiday rush, and we didn’t have a chance to respond in a timely manner. It seems you might have an infestation of Camel Crickets in your basement. Camel Crickets are basically harmless creatures that will not bite you or your pets, but they may do minor damage to stored items if they get plentiful. According to BugGuide, the best way to get rid of them is to remove their habitat, piles of clutter including logs and boards that might be in the basement. Also reducing the humidity will make the basement inhospitable.
Started thinking these were Crickets in my Long Island basement, until my sister said every1 has em & they’re called “Jumping Spiders. So I researched em & once I found out they are harmless, I caught them in my cupped hands & let them outside. recently I caught 1 & played with it, & it went from frightened to very friendly & curious, especially with my arm hair. So I let it crawl around me for a while, & a few times it preferred staying on me than going on to the lawn or shrubbery. I had to push it off. Really beautiful creature, like a Crickets, with a Yellow jacket shaped body. 2 long back legs &, big eyes, 2 small tentacles, & so gentle & fun to connect with. Please, they won’t/can’t bite human skin at all. Try to gently cup them with your hands as they are very quick & fast, & let them go outside. They are also called “Grass Crickets,” & not like any Spiders at all. They seems startling at first, jumping & all, but they’re simply crickets that jump. They don’t make that searing cricket buzz at all, so they’re even nicer.
Camel crickets, millipedes, sowbugs and pillbugs have high moisture needs, which is why they are attracted to basements.
To get rid of these bugs:
Repair leaky faucets and dripping pipes. Use a dehumidifier to dry the air in your basement. Correct the underlying cause of your moisture problem. Seal any potential insect entry points with caulk. And Sweep or vacuum regularly.
Source: https://basementwaterproofingcentral.com
Camel crickets, millipedes, sowbugs and pillbugs have high moisture needs, which is why they are attracted to basements.
To get rid of these bugs:
Repair leaky faucets and dripping pipes. Use a dehumidifier to dry the air in your basement. Correct the underlying cause of your moisture problem. Seal any potential insect entry points with caulk. And Sweep or vacuum regularly.
Source: https://basementwaterproofingcentral.com